Posts for 'Sports' Category

That is a quote from a report in this week’s SportsBusiness Journal on the backlash against the TARP assisted financial services sector’s sponsorship of professional sports.

This past week saw a media and political outcry over Northern Trust’s sponsorship of a PGA tournament in Los Angeles and BofA walking away from a nearly concluded sponsorship of the new Yankee Stadium.

Corporate sponsorships have been an important contributor to the record revenues generated in recent years by professional sports. Stadium naming rights, luxury suites, premium seats, signage, TV advertising, tournament sponsorships etc., are all under duress in a climate where corporations fear being perceived as irresponsible and ostentatious.

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Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo was named FIFA’s world player of the year for 2008, giving the Portuguese a sweep of soccer’s top individual honors.Ronaldo also received the Ballon d’Or in December after scoring 42 goals to lift United to last season’s European Champions League and English Premier League titles.

He becomes the first Premier League player to claim the FIFA accolade since soccer’s governing body introduced it in 1991.“This is not the end,” Ronaldo told reporters last night after collecting the award from Brazilian legend Pele at a ceremony in Zurich. “I want to be back next year to win it again. It’s my ambition that has brought me here and I will remain ambitious.”

The 23-year-old topped a poll of national team coaches and captains, with Argentina forward Lionel Messi coming second. Liverpool’s Spanish striker Fernando Torres was third, ahead of last year’s Brazilian winner, Kaka of AC Milan. Messi’s Barcelona teammate Xavi of Spain was fifth.

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Jiri Hudler scored twice and added an assist, as the Detroit Red Wings tallied five consecutive goals en route to a 6-4 win over the Blackhawks in the 2009 Winter Classic at Chicago's Wrigley Field.

The clubs put on an offensive show unlike the 2008 version, in which the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Sabres in a shootout, 2-1, at a snowy Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo. Brian Rafalski had a goal and two assists, while Marian Hossa and Henrik Zetterberg each had three helpers for Detroit, which swept the home-and-home between the clubs.

The Red Wings notched a 4-0 victory over the Blackhawks on Tuesday. Detroit netminder Ty Conklin made 33 saves to pick up the win for the second year in a row in the Winter Classic, having guided Pittsburgh over the Sabres in Buffalo on the first day of 2008.

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The Pakistan board is likely to replace the central contracts retainer structure for domestic regional teams as it looks to adjust to the financial impact of a year without any major cricket.Regional teams such as Karachi and Lahore had a central contracts system in place during the recent seasons, though the monthly fees were paid by the PCB and not the regional associations.

But at a recent meeting of the governing board, a proposal was put forward to scrap this system and instead increase the players' match fees."Nothing has been finalised yet," Javed Miandad, director general PCB, told Cricinfo. "Proposals were put forward at the governing board meeting before I joined, but they require approval. There is no doubt there is a need to cut our costs to make up for the year we have had."

The move to have retainers for regional players not employed by departments was widely lauded when it was introduced during the end of Shahryar Khan's tenure, but it has proved to be a heavy burden on a board desperately short of finances.

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Indian technology giant Tata Consultancy has announced a sponsorship deal with Formula One team Ferrari, bucking predictions that the sport could collapse in the global economic crisis.Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) will display its logo on Ferrari cars during the 2009 season, a company statement released in Mumbai said.

"TCS has entered into a historic agreement with Ferrari for an enhanced technology and marketing partnership," it said, without giving financial details of the deal.Last week Formula One agreed cost-cutting measures following a meeting of the FIA World Motor Sport Council in Monaco.

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Olympic track cycling star Chris Hoy was crowned the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for 2008 at an awards ceremony in Liverpool on Sunday after topping a viewers' poll.

The 32-year-old Scot won three golds - in the sprint, team sprint and keirin events in Beijing in August.

Hoy, who four years ago also won the gold medal in the one kilometre time-trial at the Athens Games, finished ahead of runner-up Lewis Hamilton.The Formula One world champion, while double Beijing swimming gold medallist Rebecca Adlington took third place.

"I really wasn't expecting this, it's such a shock," said Hoy after being presented with his award by Olympic athletics greats Sebastian Coe and Michael Johnson."After the year I have had this is unbelievable - looking at the other names on this trophy, this is the big one.

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Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik on Tuesday called for India's tour of his country to go ahead, saying "cricket diplomacy" would ease tensions between the rival neighbours.The captain made his remarks amid reports that India will cancel its upcoming Pakistani tour after accusations that the terrorists that killed 188 people in Mumbai came from Pakistan.

"If we play cricket matches then the people of both the countries will have a chance to divert their attention and the situation will definitely improve. Cricket diplomacy has helped in the past as well in the same manner," Malik told reporters.

India is due to play a side game, three Tests, five one-day internationals and a Twenty20 match on in the January-February tour of Pakistan next year.Before the attacks, India's Board of Control for Cricket was awaiting security clearance from its government to go on the tour.

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Cricket Australia expects to make an announcement on Wednesday regarding the future of troubled Test batsman Andrew Symonds, who is under investigation following a clash with a member of the public.The statement released on Tuesday shows Cricket.

 Australia's enthusiasm to move quickly on the incident which occurred at a Brisbane hotel on Sunday night as Symonds was celebrating Australia's 149-run win over New Zealand in the first Test at the Gabba.Symonds is due to arrive in Adelaide on Tuesday in preparation for Friday's.

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Diego Maradona will not lose any sleep over Terry Butcher's refusal to shake hands with him at Wednesday's friendly against Scotland, Argentina's coach said on Tuesday.

Maradona, who will make his debut as Argentina coach at Hampden Park, also said no English player could criticise him for his Hand of God goal after the English team won the 1966 World Cup final against Germany with an invalid goal.

I'm not interested in shaking Butcher's hand," he said of the former England defender who is Scotland coach George Burley's assistant. I'm okay with the people I have to shake hands with. I don't understand why Butcher (said that), I let him get on with his life."

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Pakistan coach Intikhab Alam has criticised experienced batsman Mohammad Yousuf for joining the unofficial Indian Cricket League T20 competition.

Yousuf, 34, has been banned by the Pakistan Cricket Board. He averaged an impressive 55.49 in 79 tests and 43.18 in 269 one-dayers.

"Yousuf has been the backbone of the middle order batting but since he is no longer eligible to play for Pakistan, we must look ahead and groom a replacement," Alam told reporters.

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